Saturday, January 05, 2008

Bear Shoot

What is a boy raised in the tropics to do when he's freezing to death in the midst of a nasty, chilly Chicago January?

Why, go north to Michigan, that's what!

(It made sense at the time. Never answer your e-mail when you've been dipping into a bottle of champagne left over from New Year's Eve.)

But a promise is a promise, and I want so much to meet you folks over there on the other side of the lake; so there's going to be a 1,000 Knitters shoot at the one-and-only Threadbear Fiber Arts Studio in Lansing, Michigan on Saturday, January 26 from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

The usual guidelines apply: no advance registration, etcetera. If you're not familiar with how it all works, please take a look before you come on over.

On the other hand, a trip to the Frostbite Belt is a fun excuse to wear my new Maltese Fisherman's Hat from Knitter's Almanac.

I was lucky enough to spend one perfect day in Malta, two summers ago on a university tour. We docked in Valletta, the capital, and I ditched the sightseeing excursion. Rather than be stuck on a bus, I wandered at whim up and down (mostly up, it seemed at the time) streets like these.

Needless to say, I fell in love with the place. The memory still haunts me. I hope to go back some day.

I kept an eye out for fishermen wearing anything that looked like Elizabeth Zimmermann's famously offbeat design. But it was June, and not weather for wool, so I can't say from personal experience that any self-respecting Maltese would be caught dead wearing one of these.

Right. It's not exactly...sedate. But I love it. Look at the adorable ear flaps. Flap, flap.

They cover the neck, too. And my swanlike neck is terribly, terribly sensitive to frosty winter draughts, don't you know.

And then as lagniappe in addition to all that function, you get a pointy top with a tassel!

I made out of Malabrigo Chunky that I picked up at ImagiKnit, so it's all squishy and soft like a kitten. Of course, I'd never wear a kitten on my head. That would be silly. But this?

I could use just such a hat. Yesterday I wore a scarf, hat, fingerless mitts INside the house (it's been really cold down here). Really must get a copy of that book. thanks for pointing me toward the pattern and BTW, kitten on your head? Hmmmm.

Considering the yarn you had piled on your head in your last post it wouldn't surprise me at all if you were to wear a kitten on your head! Though yarn doesn't have claws (maybe novelty yarn does, I don't know).

the first thought I had whilst looking at your malta pix was "san francisco". my second thought was "pittsburgh". streets that go straight UP. drives you crazy if you are scared of heights (like me)...

I am still hoping you make it to philly for picture taking (pretty please?)...

I moved back to Michigan after living in coastal California for 6 years. One morning in the fall a young man got on the bus I was riding. He was wearing a hat with earflaps, and I immediatly thought, "Ear flaps:dorky"A couple of weeks later, in a blowing snowstorm, the same man in the same hat got on the bus again. I immediatly thought, "Ear flaps: WARM!"

Oh great!!! I will see you when you come to Michigan, how fun!!! :) And our weather is completely nuerotic. It is in the fifties and raining today. By the time you get here, it could be in the eighties, you just never know! LOL!

Yeah, I thought earflaps were dorky before I lived in snowland. Not much call for earflaps in L.A. Now I'm trying to figure out a hat with a full body flap. And you must be the furthest north I have heard someone use lagniappe. Your pics of Malta make me want to book a flight, just gorgeous.

Cherish those wilderness fantasies. Taking the windchill into account (and we always take the windchill into account, Chicago's colder than Lansing thirteen days out of twenty seven. I'll flag you down as you pass Kalamazoo -- slow down as you pass the Oakland Drive exit ramp.

Thanks for those beautiful Malta shots. Another spot for my growing travel list; aren't there so many great places in this world? I, too, have a swan-like neck and need me one of those hats!Happy New Year, Franklin!

Here's Vote #2 for your coming to Madison (waving to Cindy G)! Can't tell you how excited I am to have you recommend something in a book I ALREADY HAVE! **woot**, as they say. And yes, I think you should make at LEAST one of those hats for Dolores, you know what she'd say! (Also -- are you sure that's Malta? Looks like Duluth MN to me......)

Hey, I live about 10 minutes from Threadbear and have already decided which handknit sweater I'm wearing. Was already asked if the sweater that I'm making with my handspun yarn is going to be done in time for the shoot but not going to happen. Still need to spin more yarn before that I can finish knitting it.

So glad to hear that you are coming to Michigan! I've been trying to make a 1,000 shoot in Chi-town since both my daughters live there, but I have never been schedule the same weekends. I'm just an hour and 1/2 from ThreadBear......can't wait!

Your pictures of Valletta reminded me a lot of the scenes I saw in Villefranche-sur-mer this past summer. Love the hat!When will the 1000 Knitters tour be coming to SoCal? Don't you need a trip to somewhere warm--well, relatively warm?

Being married to a Maltese man for the past 18 years and spending each summer holiday there I was happily reminded of Valetta and I think you could pass yourself as Maltese if only you could master the accent!!!! Have to say with the temperatures as high as they are there - I doubt I will ever see a Maltese wearing said hat.

Great news that all is well at the pad. The hat is handsome! Do you think that yarn will itch? I don't wear hats because of the itch factor. I'm making Jared's Cobblestone in Raspberry for me. Love it. Enjoy your food shopping today.

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